How to Prepare for Lightening Strike?

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Stay below while lighting is about and you will perfectly safe. Inside a complete steel boat is about the best place to be during a thunderstorm.

Agree with that. Steel boat is just about a perfect Faraday cage. Almost no chance of danger INSIDE on a metal boat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3XAIwEZpTg

[dpddj]

Hey! I'm an engineer and a darned good speller to boot. Well, at least I was until spell checkers came around and I got lazy.

[dpddj]

I'd like to take the high wire guy's paycheck home

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

Agree with that. Steel boat is just about a perfect Faraday cage. Almost no chance of danger INSIDE on a metal boat.
...

A friend of mine in a 46 foot steel hull boat was hit by lightening off Nicaragua. It apperently traveled up an exhaust pipe exit and started a fire in a large wire bundle in the engine room. A fair amount of damage due to the smoke and lots of electronics failure.

[fireman456]

A small lightning rod ontop of a metal mast.... then bring battery cable from base of mast to the lead keel....voila your half way home...now bring all the electic grounds and and heavy metals(chainplates) to this centralized area and join them to the keel as well. Good Luck!

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, fireman.

[chouliha]

I have read with interest this discussion about lightening strikes. Since we departed from Mexico 3 years ago we have met more than 40+ boats that have been hit by lightening. One large strike in the mooring field in Panama City whacked a number of boats. Side Strikes also count as well.

If you think just because you are not the tallest rig in the anchorage or a power boat moored between 2 sailboats that it will not come knocking your are mistaken.

We suffered a side strike from a vessel that was anchored 100 yards away. The surprising thing about this was that our auto pilot compass did not decide to die until a week later. Many of the folks we have talked to continued to have electronics die months after all was repaired.

The answer for Central America Pacific side is to get the heck out during the wet season. Ecuador is the answer!

Safe sailing

Chuck


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